Metered valve



May 2s, 1968 J. FRANGOS 3,385,482

METERED VALVE Filed July 1l, 1966 ATTORNE United States Patent O 3,385,482 METERED VALVE John Frangos, Brooklyn, N Y., assigner to Revlon, Inc., New York, N.Y., a corporation of Delaware Filed July 11, 1966, Ser. No. 564,363 3 Claims. (Cl. Z22-402.2)

ABSTRACT F THE DISCLOSURE A metered valve -for an aerosol container, said valve comprising a valve body having a chamber therein in direct communication with the container interior and discharging to the atmosphere through a channel from lower portions thereof, whereby propellant gases in said chamber are discharged yonly after heavier fluids, said valve further having flexible gasket means Iirst sealing oli said chamber from communication with the container interior 'before establishing communication between said chamber and the atmosphere when an actuator is depressed to open said valve.

The present invention relates to the dispensing of fluid materia-ls from containers under the influence of a pr-opellant in the container. In particular, the invention relates to improved dispensing devices incorporating a metered valve.

The containers described above include containers of the aerosol type which generally comprise a container body holding a liquid -or liquefied vaporiza'ble propellant and a material to be dispensed and a valve assembly which controls the emission of the material and propellant from the container body. In many cases, for instance for the administration of therapeutic substances in aerosol therapy, it is desirable that actuation of the valve release a predetermined iixed quantity of the container contents. Valves accomplishing this end are known in the art as metered valves, an-d numerous metered valve constructions are known in the art. However, metered valve constructions of the prior art have often been complicated, with many parts, and are diiiicult and expensive to fabrica-te.

The present invention is directed to dispensing devices having metered valves of extremely simple and inexpensive construction.

A better understanding of the present invention and of its many advantages will be had by referring to the accompanying drawings, in which FIGS. l and 2 illustrate the structure and operation of one embodiment of the invention and FIGS. 3 and 4 illustrate the structure and operation of a second embodiment.

In the drawings, FIG. l is #a vertical sectional view through the valve assembly of an aerosol container having a metered valve, showin-g the Valve in a position closing the container to the atmosphere;

FIG. 2 is a vertical sectional view through the same device showing the metered valve in a position opening the container Ito the atmosphere, i.e., in dispensing position;

FIG. 3 is a vertical sectional view through the valve assembly of a different embodiment of the invention, showing a metered valve in a position closing a container to the atmosphere;

FIG. 4 is a Vertical sectional view 4through the same valve as is FIG. 3, showing the valve in -a position opening the container to the atmosphere; and

FIG. 5 is a horizontal sectional View of t-he valve of FIGS. 3 and 4 taken along `line 5--5 of FIG. 3.

FIGS. 1 and 2 of the drawings show a valve ferrule 10 attached to container 11 in conventional manner, for example by crimping circumferential ange 12 to con- ICC tainer 11. Disposed within the neck of container 11 is valve body 13, suitably equipped with dip tube 14 extending to the bottom of container 11. Dip tube 14 is suitably used when comprising suspended solid particles, for example. Upper rimportions 15 of valve body 13 do not extend completely to the 'outer rim of container 11. A luid-tight seal between container 11 and valve ferrule 16 is then aiiorded by molded gasket 16, made of a deformable resilient substance such as rubber or rubber-like synthetic resins. Gasket 16 has a central protuberance 17 adapted to engage in sealing fashion with upwardly disposed tube portion 18 of valve body 13. Surrounding central protuberance 17 is circular protuberance 19, in sealing lrelationship with depending central flange 2G of valve ferrule 11 when the metered valve is in closed position as shown in FIG. 1. In the position shown in FIG. 1, interior portions of container 11 are in communciation with metering chamber 21 within valve body 13 through dip tube 14 and passage 22 deiined between central protuberance 17 and tube portion 18 yof valve body 13.

When actuator 23 is depressed, as shown in FIG. 2, its center stem 24 first depresses central protuberance 17 to seal tube 1S, cutting oli further flow of the contents of container 11 into metering chamber 21. Further slight downward pressure next causes circumferential portions 25 of actuator 23 t-o depress circular protuberance 19. The propellant and material to be dispensed contained within metering chamber 21 are now free to flow under the iniluence of the propellant th-rough orifice 26 in molded gasket 16, through slot 27 provided in portion 25 of actuator 23, and through actuator channel 28 to terminal orice 29. On release of pressure on the actuator, the sequence of operations is reversed with =a iirst closure of the path 26, 27, 28 through which metering chamber 21 is in communication with terminal orice 29, followed by opening of the path 14, 18, 22 of communication between chamber 21 and interior portions of container 11. In this manner, chamber 21 is again iilled with a iixed charge of propellant and material lto be dispensed, which charge will =be dispensed upon the next depression of actuator 23.

In the device shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, actuator 23 is held in the valve assembly by -frictional t within depending center flan-ge 2t) of ferrule 11i. The resilience of `gasket 16 is suiiicient to lift actuator 23 into raised position after removal of iin-ger pressure thereon. The distance of travel of gasket 16 between its closed and open positions is sufficiently small that there is little or no tendency for Gasket 16 to expel actuator 23 from the valve assembly.

The embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 3 and FIG. 4 of the drawings operates on the same simple principle illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2. FIGS. 3 and 4 show container 40 sealed by a valve assembly comprising valve ferrule 41 having a circumferential depending flange portion 42 suitably crimped to container 40. Valve body 43 is suspended within upper portions of container 40 and a fluid-tight seal between valve ferrule 41 and container 4i) is achieved by means of sealing gasket 44 and molded gasket 45, both of a deformable resilient substance such as rubber. `Gasket 45 comprises central protuberance 46 and surrounding circular protuberance 47. The latter is shown in sealing relationship with central depending ilange 48 of valveferrule 41.

Ferrule 41 is suitably formed with a conical central depression to conform ferrule wall 49 with the slope of lgasket 45. Construction of ferrule 41 in this manner more or less completely denes metered chamber 51 below molded gasket 45, Substantially all flow of the contents of container 40 through oriiice 52 in molded gasket 45 is thus directly through slot 53 in circumferential portions 54 of actuator 55 and thence into actuator channel 56. Such a construction is particularly desirable if the product dispensed might otherwise accumulate in upper portions of a metering chamber like metering chamber 21 shown in the embodiment of FIGS. l and 2. For example, a foam product would be more suitably dispensed from the embodiment of FIG. 3 because there would be little opportunity for the accumulation of the foam in sites in the metering chamber where it would not be quickly removed on subsequent actuation of the device.

Central protuberance 46 of gasket 45 is equipped with flexible dependent flange portion 57 suitably engaging with upwardly disposed tube 58 on valve body 43. Depending fiange 57 permits more play upon depression of central protuberance 46 by central stem 59 of actuator 55. Tube S8 may be shaped in the upper terminal portions thereof 60 to come into better sealing engagement with depending flange 57.

Valve body 43 may be fashioned with hollow walls defining one or more channels 62 therebetween, or as particularly shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, channels 62 may be defined within body 43 between the ribs of an externally ribbed insert 67 within valve body 43. Within body 43 is compressible spring 63, mounted within movable guide member 64 retained within body 43 by horizontal flange 65 engaging with shoulder 66 of member 64. `Body 43 may also be provided with spring retaining groove 61.

As shown in FIG. 4, on depression of actuator 55, central stem 59 thereof first depresses central protuberance 46 of gasket 45, thus engaging dependent flange 57 with tube 58,to seall off chamber 51 from interior portions of container 40. Next, circumferential portion 54 of actuator 55 pushes circular protuberance 47 of gasket 4S into sealing relationship with horizontal fiange 65 of valve body 43. At the same time, circular protuberance 47 is brought out of sealing relationship with depending central fiange portions 48 of ferrule 41, opening a path from chamber 51 through channel 62 through gasket orifice 52 and actuator channel 56 to terminal orifice 61.

On release of pressure on actuator 55, a reverse closure sequence occurs with spring 63 pushing upwardly on guide member 64 first to force protuberance 47 into sealing relationship with depending central flange portions 48, as in FIG. 3, before flange 57 is disengaged from tube 58.

A good seal between actuator 55 and central flange 48 of ferrule 41 is conveniently afforded by O-ring seal 50.

While preferred embodiments have been shown and described, it is to be understood that some changes may be made in the details of the structure without departing from the spirit of the invention or exceeding the scope of the claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A valve for releasing fiuid under pressure from a container in measured amounts, said valve comprising a valve body supportable in the mouth of said container; a chamber defined within a portion of said valve body; dip tube means directly communicating between said chamber and the interior of said container when said valve is in closed position; a channel outside said chamber and defining a fluid passa-ge from the lower end to the upper end thereof, whereby said chamber and other portions of said valve body are in communication; a perforated resilient deformable gasket; means, including ferrule means, peripherally joining said container, valve body, and gasket in sealed relationship, said ferrule means including actuator guide means depressing central portions of said resilient gasket below more peripheral portions thereof; and an actuator comprising an inlet port and an exit nozzle in communication, said actuator resting upon and being supported in raised position within said actuator guide means by central portions of said resilient gasket, with said inlet port thereof sealed by said actuator guide means when said valve is in closed position, said resilient .gasket then being in sealing relationship with said actuator guide means; central portions of said resilient gasket being first depressed by said actuator to interrupt communication between said chamber and said container when said actuator is depressed to open said valve, said actuator next depressing more peripheral portions of said resilient gasket to break the seal between said gasket and said actuator guide means and to expose the inlet port of said actuator within said valve body but outside said chamber, whereby the exit nozzle of said actuator and the interior of said container are put in communication through said dip tube means, chamber, passage, perforated resilient gasket, and inlet port respectively.

2. A valve as in claim 1 wherein said ferrule means are centrally depressed to form an inverted cone substantially congruent with said centrally depressed resilient gasket, said actuator guide means extending upwardly and surrounding said actuator, whereby said metering chamber is substantially completely defined between said valve body and resilient gasket.

3. A valve as in claim 1 wherein said hollow wall of said valve body is defined between a wall of said valve body and an externally ribbed insert within said valve body, said passa-ge therein in communication at its lower end with said metering chamber being defined between said external ribs.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,781,954 2/1957 Bretz 222-518 X 3,123,261 3/1964 Gorman 222-394 3,166,250 1/1965 Kappel 222-402.24 X 3,301,444- 1/1967 Wittke 222-518 X ROBERT B. REEVES, Primary Examiner.

N. L. STACK, Assistant Examiner. 

